The Cell Phone Ban
Jamesburg has enacted a new Cell-Phone-While-Driving Ban Ordinance. This is a bold step on behalf
of the Jamesburg Borough Council and Mayor. Jamesburg joins Edison, Marlboro, and Carteret
to approve such a ban. However, most residents and commuters are not even
aware of it. If residents do not read the newspapers, the only other way to
recognize that Jamesburg has this ordinance is if you saw a small sign as you enter town.
Thankfully, Jamesburg has placed these signs, but like most drivers, our attention should be
on the road and not a minute sign underneath the Middlesex County Route signs.
According to the Courier News, Marlboro placed 50 signs and gave warnings two months in advance
before issuing summonses. Jamesburg, much smaller in size, has placed roughly seven signs that
I have noticed when you enter the community and gave a two week warning. These signs, no
larger than a "No Parking" sign, alert drivers that it is "illegal" to drive while using a
"hand-held" device in town. However, for most commuters, it is not easy to spot these
small warning signs. For instance in Marlboro, LARGE signs, similar to the size of construction
notice signs, are placed on Route 18 to alert drivers. Marlboro's signs have large lettering
and are easy to see. In Jamesburg, the signs have been generally posted underneath a County Route sign
taking away from the significance of the sign. Another fault in this ban is that Jamesburg only
warned residents through the newspaper about two weeks before it was adopted
as an ordinance. That is not an appropriate amount of time to announce such a strict and imposing
ordinance. The speed in which this ordinance was introduced was extremely quick and more
appropriate ways of notifying the community can be introduced. More signs, in addition to
a posting on the Jamesburg Borough web site, would be acceptable and pleasing for community
members. It seems as if this ordinance was slipshod in the way it was enacted.
I want to wish drivers in Jamesburg good luck in finding and being able to read the new
Cell Phone Ban signs while entering town and watching the road at the same time (while holding
your cell phone). If ticketed, it will cost you. Don't say we didn't warn
you...we know that the signs did not.
Feel free to E-Mail jamesburg.net and share your opinion and comments!
as of July 28, 2003:
After speaking with Borough representatives, it has been revealed that Jamesburg is anticipating
the arrival of larger Cell Phone Ban signs. According to Borough Officials, "They have already been ordered in a larger size as we have had
complaints that they were not visible. We will use the smaller ones at various locations throughout the Borough.We
have received numerous complaints over the past few years of the
dangerous driving patterns of those people using cell phones. They
ignore stop signs and pedestrian crosswalks because they are not paying
attention. We are extremely concerned with the safety of our residents."